SEPTA announces suspension of most regional rail, including service to stations in Whitemarsh and Conshohocken

SEPTA has announced that starting on Thursday, April 9th it will initiate a new “Lifeline Service Schedule,” which will operate “as much service as possible with our healthy and available employees, but with limited lines and routes.” Below we have the information provided by the press release, but note SEPTA’s website is not updated yet.

As part of this new schedule, the Norriston/Manayunk Regional Rail line through Whitemarsh and Conshohocken will be suspended.

SEPTA is also now asking all riders to wear masks or other facial coverings, consistent with new CDC guidelines, to protect both riders and operators. SEPTA has started issuing masks to all frontlineemployees.

“Our SEPTA employees have been incredible in ensuring we maintain essential service to provide access to hospitals, grocery stores and other life-sustaining services,” said SEPTA General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “As this crisis continues, we are now experiencing what other transit agencies across the country already have – workforce shortages due to COVID-19-related absences.”

Access to stations will be limited, and SEPTA police will engage customers to ensure that they are traveling for essential purposes.

“If you are not traveling to an essential job or for urgent personal business like a medical appointment, you need to stay home and help us preserve service and space for those who need it most,” Richards said. “Unfortunately, too many people are not cooperating with this request, and they are putting the health and lives of our essential customers and employees at risk.”

The new schedules that go into effect on Thursday are focused on providing access to hospitals, grocery stores, and other life-sustaining services. The Lifeline Service schedule will provide core services for essential travel, control access to the system and further focus cleaning efforts to protect the health and safety of our customers and employees.

Buses and Trolleys: Service will be limited to approximately 60 core routes. SEPTA prioritized routes that provide access to essential services, as well as those with connections to the Broad Street, Market-Frankford Lines and Regional Rail. Approximately half of the Trolley stations in the Center City tunnel will be closed, including 13th Street, 19th Street, 33rd Street and 36th Street. The Route 101 Trolley will continue to operate with bus service, and the Route 102 remains suspended.

Norristown High Speed Line: No additional changes with this new schedule.

Regional Rail: Service on six lines will be suspended and two others shortened.

No service on the Chestnut Hill East, Chestnut Hill West, Cynwyd, Manayunk/Norristown, West Trenton and Wilmington Newark Lines.

Service on two additional lines will be truncated:

Paoli/Thorndale: Service only between Center City and Malvern

o Lansdale/Doylestown: Service only between Center City and Lansdale

Airport Line service will be reduced from hourly trips to every two hours.